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Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Kentucky's first TELL survey asked educators across the state about their working conditions, and 42,025 of them responded, setting a national record for first-time surveys of this kind and providing new insights worth lots of attention. For example, the Department's press release reports that

Overall, educators are positive about their teaching conditions:

93 percent agree they work in a school environment that is safe.

83 percent indicate they intend to continue teaching at their current schools.

80 percent agree the faculty and leadership have a shared vision.

94 percent agree the school leadership facilitates using data to improve student learning.

92 percent agree that teachers are encouraged to try new things to improve instruction.

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Early analyses indicate there are concerns across the state. For example, in the area of Time:

Only 51 percent agree that efforts are made to minimize the amount of routine paperwork teachers are required to do.

63 percent agree that teachers have sufficient instructional time to meet the needs of all students.

68 percent agree that teachers are protected from duties that interfere with their essential role of educating students.

Results for the state, districts, and schools can be found here. The survey is a big step forward in Kentucky's attention to teaching quality, and it's exciting to think of these insights being used in communities all over the Commonwealth to identify opportunities to strengthen our teachers and our schools.